Liquid measuring and dispensing device



Maly 27, 1924;,

-Filed June 12, 192,2 3 sheets-sheet 1 ay 27 192g? 1,495,532.

, E. A. Rlx.

Amouw MEASURING AND DrsFENsI'NG DEVICE .Filed June 12, 1922 3 sheets-sheer 2 May 27, A1924.,

1,495,532 E. A. Rlxv v LIOUID MEASURING AND DISPENSING DEVICE'- Filed June l2 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 T9, [Hi

Patented May 27, i924. i

circ stares EDWARD A. nix, or sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID MEASURING AND DISIEENSING'EVICE.

Application led Julie 1 2, 1922. Serial No'. 567,861.

To all ywho/rt it may' concern.:

Beit known that I, EDWARD A. RIX, a

citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco, State ot California, have invented new and useful Improvements iii Liquid hileasuring. and Dispensing Devices, of which the following:

Ais aspecification.4

This invention relates to a liquid measuring and dispensing device, and 'especially to that type employed in garages, automo bile service stations, etc., Where gasoline-and like liquids are sold.

The object of the present invcntioni's to generally improve and simplitvdevices ot the character described: lto .provide measuring device, embodying a transparent tank, permitting visible display of a measured quantity of liquid, and at the same time serving as 'a tamper-proof sealed lions-gv indcil 8 is otherwisc'provided with a piston ing for a series fof measuring tubes of varying length ;i to provide a novel torni'ot valve mechanism ywhereby -overoiv through the tubes is controlled; to .provide means for' opening; and closing said valves in suelta manner that only one valve may assume an opened position at any one time, and in conjunction therewith means Jfor visibly indicatinei which. valve is opened and thc amount of liquid measured thereby. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

One form which niy inventionii'iay assume is exemplified inthe following dexscription and illustrated in the accompany-- iupl drawings, in Whichf Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the liquid vmeasuring and dispensing device.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged central, vertical section ot the same, the top portion ot' the apparatus beingbroken aivay.

' Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the nieasuring head. i

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4, Fig. 3. J

Fig. 5 vis a front. view of the -valve actuating mechanism.v i

Fig. 6 is a vertical section oii line 6 6. Fig. 3.

Fic. 7 is an enlarged detail view partially in section showingA one` ofthe .valve vactuating devices.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A

indicates a standard or column, on the .up-

per end Aof which is supported'a measuring This tank is cylindrical, octagonal, or otherwise shaped in cross section and is ypreferably constructed of glass tovisibly display measured quantitiesof liquid. The glass wall 'of thetank is lsupported. by a. measuring head B ,Qwhicli is grooved, a's at for the receptionofthe -Wall section, and the upper 'end is enclosed' bv a head. meiiiv '-ber 4,-the head member 1 being similarly groovcdan'd' being .secured in position by vtie rods 5, which draw the parts' together and maintain a tight joint. The standard or colnmnAi eiicloses apair of cylinders 7 and 8. The cylinder 8 communicates With a storage tank' or reservoir, notshown, by means of a suction pipe 9, on the upper end 'of which is mounted a check valve 10. The

cylinder further communicates With the measuring tank by means of a pipe l1, said pipe passingi through the measuring head B .and entering the tank proper. The cyl- 13 'ot` suitable',-construction, on 'which is mounted a pair of check valves 14;, said valve-slicing opposed in action to the check l0. The piston 13 is secured to a piston rod l5 'which passes through a stuffing box 16 formed on the upper end of the cylinder. The rod then passes through a second stutl`- in c 'box 1T and then 'enters the upper cylindei 8. wher-cit' is secured to a piston 18. This piston is subjected to air .under pres ysure which is' admitted through pipes 19 and Q0. these pipes acting' alternately as inlet and exhaust pipes. rl `hc pipes are connected with a controlling?i valve. Q1. which is manually turned to admit air either to one end of the cylinder `ISortlie other, and recipro "al movement. is thus transmitted to 1 the' pistons 18 and 18 in unison.

.The niechanisin so; tar described is eniployed tor the. purpose of delivering gasoline to the measuringT tank and does not *forni* any part of the present invention as any -other means suitable for the pur-pose may be employed. The subject matter of the presentinivention embodies la measurinter head, indicated at B, a series of measur -ing`tubes supported thereby, a valve mechv anisni cooperating with said tubes, and a manual control means for opening and closing the valves, said means also visibly indieating which valve is opened and the amount of liquid which is being measured. The measuring head is perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 3, f1 and'. The head proper is. supported on top of the column `A and is suitably secured thereto; v lts upper surface A is flat, asv shown in lifigs. andi-6, "and th-is surface forms. the bottom ofthetank. There are six'imeasuring tubes employed as indi- A g cages 1n turn support valves as indicated at' 28. The cages areprovided with threaded extensions on their lower endsfwhicli 'are "screwed into the measuring head, and the n l l the-present inventionistliemechanism emupper ends of thefcages lare internally threaded to receive the measuring. tubes.

"The "tubes are of Varying tlength, as -illusq .tratled, and to this extent control the vamount .0f .liquid retainedby the measuring' tank during the measuring operation.. Emili-tank is nothing more or less than anoverlow tube and 'they 4all .communicate with a chamberg29, which in turn is connected with a source ofsupp'ly bymeanso-a return tube S30.- The shortest tube isfprovidedv for the;

purpose `of measuring a quantity of liquid equivalent to one gallon; the second' tube they on. Forl instance if it isdesir'ed to measure- V 25.

amount equivalent to two gallons, and so anddispenseone gallon, `it` only necessary to open the Valve 28, which aligns withthe shortest tube, and similarly to close the' `valves aligning with l the "remaining tubes-.

Thus, `when .the piston 30. is movedV in fan upward direetiomby means .of an' acting on the piston 1'8, it can be seen `that the gaso- 'line will discharge through .plp'e 11 into the.

i 'measuring tankv and :will substantial'lypfill the same'.A f 'llhe gasoline will-however oler- How ort-discharge through-thes'hortest tube4 until the level-of 'the gasoline aligns'. with the ytop of saidtube.- Further overflow will then'be-prevented andthe remaining gaso- V `the automobile.

, line is trapped injthe measuringtank.; Tliis gasoline isf-then. l remoi/ed -by"openin'g-^a.. service Valve,'ind1cated at 31, a-nd 1t-1shere discharged through a hose 32'tothe 'tank of lll-f, they purchaser v v/'ishefs five gallons, the valve-28 aligningfw-i-ththe measuring tubev controlling l thisainount is opened and the'remainin-g Valves are closed.

. Gasoline will againbedeliyered' bymeans of the'pis'ton 1 3 and any quantity 1n excess-'o 5U five-gallons'will thus discharge tl1rough .thef .A 'whereitwill drain vor' return to the sparse. f ofs`upply`- lthrough 1-the pipeO. g'llhenliquid- --trapllgidd' within themeasuringtank wlll 'in- `g5-'this casefbe five gallons. and this/s dis-l Slis opened. 1 To permit-complete draining' live gallon tube `into the chamber- 29, ltrc'm* chargedthrough the hose' line`32 when Valve of the measuring tank, arpocket or recess 33 is formed therein and this recess is eonnected by' a pipe flwith "the vali/e 31, 'complete draining being in this-manner obtained. f 1 l' l In Fig.; 5 it willbe-se'en that 4n inelpipes are illustrated; first, those indicated at 22', 23, 24, 25,26 and 27 secondly,`- the drain pipe indicated at 30 and illustrated by a certainstern by means offits head memfnaeasaa @ne of the novel, importantlfeatures of ployednfor.opening'and closing the Valves.

28..' `.This 'mechanisme issofarranged that only one valve mayassume opened position,`

--andl it furt-her-l insures complete. closure' of the remaining valves when one 1s opened.

`rlhis.mechanism best. illustrated in Figs. 5', 61 and' 7,

and 'is construeted'and operated as follows: t

Eatending through one lside the icliamber29 is`a series ofv stems 40, 41, 4:2, 43, 4 4 and 45.. .Each stem passes through a'- bushing, as shown atlG, in Fig-7, and eac'h stein is provided with a cone shaped cam 47, a head member 4:8, and a 'cross pin ,49. A spring vsurrounds each stem, asindicated at 50, and thesel springs are interposedl between n the cams'l? andtheside wall of the cham# ber-29. 'fllhey arefurthermore so arranged.-

that endwise moyement will 'be impartedto f .the stems undercerta'in'conditions said'. end.

wise movement brings '.the cams 47. into iengagement with the headed lowerends `of stems 5 1 secured to .the respective Vvalves 28,1

and .when 'suchlfengagement is Amade upward movement is imparted to the stem and the valveatta'ched thereto; and a Valve is opened.- The remaining Valvesowill-.however assume as follows :l

-a closed position and thisisaccornplshed l. Turnably 'mountedfoii merh- I' ber 46. isa' gear 52. Theseg'earsflall' inter-A mesh, a's'shownin Fig; 5,j .and"`they .are'frotated in unison- 'byfmeans'iof 'a *masterlgear indicated at. .531; ThiSriiaSter Agear is" keyed withA a head-meinber- 5 5f by"wl1ichfit is ro-f 'Wall of 'the 'cliainberflQ-Q-'as illustrated irigFig.

Gated at 58, and? registran-On:@finiesiotst the slots58. 1 The stemsvlby 'referringto l Figs. .6 and?, areflong'itudinally movable in the bushings 41:6 Aand they'aiev also turn- .able therein, 'hence if it -is desired'to open a certain Valveitis only 'necessary to turn l valve.

' will be. retained in a closed-position.

,spring 50.

.indicated at 60, thatfis crossv pin 49 Y be obvious.

ingrassaber 48 until the cross pin #t9 'registerswith the slot 58 in the bushing 46. vVlhen "this av slight longitudinal or inward takes place movement of this certain stem- 40 will vtake place, said inwardmovenient being Caused; by the pull or pressure o 'f the cooperating The inward movement taking place is however very slight and the 'position assumed will be `the dotted line position'l on the outer end of the gear hub 56, and further inward 4movement ofthe stemA() will be prevented until-4 registration is formed between the slots .58 and 57. Such registration is obtained by grasping lthe knob or head member 55 and imparting rog tarv gear rThis gear, as `previously]stated, intermeshes-with one ot the gears 452 and as all of the gears 52 intermesh, all will rotate in unison. Registration will thusbe established between the slots A57` and -58, where the cross pin -has'been dropped into'the slot. 58, and when this 'registration is established further inward mpvenient will. take -place and cam 5f( will engagethe head ot the stein 51 ot'a certain valve,- thus imparting upward movement to th'e stem and opening the The remainingv valves will remain in closed position as inward movement. isrst helical spring G5, whiehenerts a-d'ownward 'maintainingf the valves in pressure. thus p closed position.A The tensionor pressure ex erted Aby the helical springs .Oiis however greater than thateiierted by the spring .65 and opening ot the valves is thus permitted when final inward.movement ot any.particu?j` lar stem l0 is permitted.

foregoing description it should First, that only one valve 28 may and that the remaining valves Secondly that. the valve which is opened lwill be visibly indicated as *the head member 48' lco`- operatingv with the opened valve will assume a depressed position with relation to .the remaining' head members. Third, that thel amountv ot liquid being` measured the opened valve will also be visibly displayed as each member carriesa numeral indicating` the number ot gallons beingfnieasured. The

From the be opened entire mechanism is exceedingly simple and.

may be readily and quickly set for any num# ber ot gallons desired, and any4 chance of making a mistake when opening oneV valve will rest' movement tothe rod 54@4 and the master A a` 'measuring' for-anotheris eliminatedas the valve opened and the amount' of liqi'iid'measured thereby will 'in 'all cases 'be visibly displayed.

,Vt-hile certain 'features of lthe present in-y 'ventionare more or less s pecilically illustrate'dj'l wishy it understood thatvarious "chlangesin .form and` proportion may be i'esorted to within the scope 'of the appended claims," similarly thatv the' materials -and tinislnot: the several parts employed may be ysuoli as .the experience and ji'idgment ot' the .manufacturer may dictate oi various uses may demandl@v 'l i 'Havingfthus described my invention; what A,claim and-desire to secure by Letters "Patentis-h f "device -ottli'dchararter .described a.l tank,

head' supporting;- the .tank and forming'a-bottom therefor, a vdrain chamber formed in the head, ot varyingr llength disposed-within the tank and supported by the head, said tubes coni' municating.- at 'their lower ends 'with the drain chamber, a 'valve foreach tube` forming a normal closuretheret'or, a stema' on each.. valve, i a head member on the' lower 'end oli-:each stem, a spring on .each valve` stem engageable with the head to normally maintainl "the 4valves in closed position, a

prevented vduev to the fact, that the erosspinsf pluralityof stems disposed at right angles 49 have notibeen moved into alignmentl with tothe valve stems, one in alignment with eachv valve stem, va. 'cani member on one end of each last named stem adapted -to engage the heads ott-he' valve stems, a'bushing foreach -last .named stem, a head mem# ber .in the opposite end 'of each stem` whereby longitudinal and turning movementl may heI imparted to eaehfstem, a slotl formed in eaeli' bushing, a cross pin in each stemadapted to `be 'turned into o rout of alignment witi said slots; slotted sleeve on each sternadapted. to registerV vwith the` slots,in the-respective bushings.` .and'nieans Afor rotating.tlie "sl'eeves*in`unison Ito bring about -sueliregistration.` y v u'idfineasuring and dispensing;-

"2. `Ina -li V device-jot `t'..liegcliaraoter described a. tank, a measuring headsupportin'g the tank and forming a'bottoin therefor, a drainchamber formed `in the head, af plurality of tubes Aof varying length disposed 'within the tank and supported by the head, said tubes communicating at their. lower ends with the drainchamber, a valve for each tube form.- ing a normal. closure therefor, a stem on l each valvea head member on the lower end yot eac-h stem. a spring'oii'each valve stem engageable withthe head to normally maintainthe valves in closed position, a plural-. ity of stems disposed atl right angles to the valvesv stems lone in alignment with each valve stem, a cammember on one end of' each last named stem adapted to engage the heads of the valve stems, a bushing for each 1'. In la. liquid .measuring and dispensing l e5 'a plurality' of tubes esv izo

In a liquid 40 device. ofjthe vcharacter described a measure.'

pluralityo measuring tubes 'o varying.len'gthjsupported thereby,` a fvalvev forming a..

'.tudinal and turning movement parted to each stem,

to be turned into or out oit alignment lWith- .said slots, .afslotted sleeve on each stem adapted to register with Athe slots inthe re spectiv'e bushings. and means forrotating the sleeves in unison Ato bringgabout such registration, said slotted sleeveshaving their slots arranged in' staggered formation and said slottedV bushings liaving'their slots formed in alignment to.'` prevent siInultaneous registration 'of more than lone -set of cooperating slots.

3i In a liquid 'measuring and dispensing .device of vthe character described aL measuring. head,v a vplurality .of measuring tubes Y. i of `VaryingY length Supported thereby, a

valve inv tlielowerend of each ,tubefirmfy ing anormal closure therefor, afvalife stem en each valve, a' horizontally disposed stemv in' alignmentwitheach.valve stem, a slotted bushing forming a bearing-'foreach',hori zontal stem.; the` Slots' in.'saidgbushing'being disposed in,`all ignment,fa "slottedsleeve. on

eachbushingthey slotsfin-saidsleeve being staggered to prevent-simultaneous*registrer- 36 tion ofmore than." onefsetlof cooperating 'a' .pin-.on veach 'horizontal stem', manuallysactuated meansfor turning the hori vzontal stems andthe p insmourted thereon4 into orout of valignment' thebushing slots, meansfor rotating the4 s lo'tted1sleewes `.in unison,`r and a cani memberoneach horizontal stem .engageable `With the'ghead 'ofl A gear, a-"slot formed in Aeach hub, the slots -the `Valvestems.' L measuring anddispensing ingIhead, a

in. the lower end"0f .ea ch tube i'iorrnal` closure 'v-,therefory a" Valve stem., on

each yalvje, a horizontally disposedstemim alignment 'with .each ivalve stem, aiv slotted" bushing forming a bearingfor each horizonta'l -stem',.the slotsin said bushing being stems, an

`'and adapted to. be rotated in disposed in alignment, a slotted sleeve on .cach bushing, the slots in. said sleevelbeingv slots,` 'av p in on each horizontal stem, manu- 'ally` actuated means for turning the horizontal .stems l"and `the pins mounted thereon into or out, of alignment Withthe bushing Slots, means for rotating the slotted sleeves inuniscn, a3cam.n`1e1nber. on each horizontal stem engageable with the 4head of the Valve' d a' spring 'on each horizontal stem causing forward projection. and engagement of the cams with 'the-headed valle stems (when a 'set of.' cooperating 'slots registers.

u 5.' ln a device offthecliaract'er described ay plurality 'of stationary.' bushings slotted atfone end,.a support 'there-for, -a stem turnably and slidably mountedginf'each.bushing and projecting .through the iespectiuelbusliings and support,'afgearturnablymounted on each bushing, said gears intermesli'ing. and adapted `tobe rotated'iJ-in Iunison by ahub. on each'- gear' means' oa master gear, each hub, .the

and afslot formedv in the hubs- With the `slots in thebushin'gs.

6. ln adeviceof the character Adescribed :1 -"plurality of stationary .bushings slotted *ably and slidably` mounted in' each bushing vand projecting through the respectivebush- .5 y slots 1n said' hubs being staggered to preventf 1 simultaneous registration o' the slots in at--one end,a support therefor". 'a stem iturli- .y

ingsandisupport, a gear turnably mounted on each bushing, said gears. intermeshing means of` a "masterl gear, a "hub on lveach unison by- -v in said hubs being staggered to prevent' simultaneous.registration of the slots in the` ihn-bs. with the' -slots in the bushings, a cross pi'n. on each stem adapted tobe "f turned into or out yof register'with the bushing slots, a camfmember, on each stem; and a spring surrounding .each stem and 1 interA .the cam. member and. the

posed Ibetween support.

` EDWARD A. RlX. 

